Dementia Care Asia News and Updates

1st IFDC round table meeting was held yesterday, Taipei Veterans Hospital Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Director Chen, sign cooperation agreement with Japan, Philippines, Indonesia and Korea delegate after meeting.

Taiwan has about 230 thousand Dementia patients .There is a serious shortage in Caregivers and care facilities for take care growing Dementia patients.

TAIC invited Asia Dementia care experts from Japan, Korea, Philippines and Indonesia to open Round table meeting for setting up International Federation of Dementia Care(IFDC).

IFDC will establish Global standard for the dementia care training and certification and plan to open 1stDementia care certification exam next year in Taiwan.

According to Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare plan, the Long-Term Care insurance will be start in 2018, but it has shortage about 40 thousand caregivers. And the Dementia care training quality is not standardized because the training is made by independent hospitals, association, and facilities in Taiwan now.

TAIC expects to learn from Japanese experience, translate the JSDC Dementia care teaching material and questions to Taiwanese and create the certification system, enhance the quality of care to meet the international standard.

The president of TAIC, Taipei Veterans Hospital Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Director Chen, point out, patients with mild dementia can take care at home or community assistance . Patients with moderate to severe need professional care facilities, conservative projections 10 thousand demand, but only about one thousand were registered in Taiwan. More than half are Veterans Home, so the general public can only be sent to Care Institutes. Patients become vestigial even faster because lack of professional knowledge and skill in Dementia care.

Director Chen says, Japan start long-term care insurance over 10years, full-time care institutions are dedicated to dementia priority. Taiwan will start long-term care insurance in the future, Doctors, nurse4s and caregivers can prepare through Dementia care training and certificate, even be able to work as a profession in foreign countries, can attract young people join long-term care market.

In the past 11 years, there are over 30 thousand people pass the Dementia Care certification and make up the care demand gap in Japan.

JSDC and IFDC president, Dr. Akira Homma point put, Asia counties, different from Europe and the United, more home care, IFDC hope develop Asia type Dementia Care modes through education and certification system.

Dr. Chen declare, TAIC will co-work with Taichung City Health Bureau, plan to hold the 1stDementia care certification exam, propose a plan encourage medical and care people pass professional Dementia care examination.